The Darkest Night In Hogwarts Castle
by Fullyalive
Summary: Hi guys. I thought I should write a sadder one. So the trick on this one is: I leave it right before Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville get back into the picture. But I leave it in way so that if you want to, you can alter the ending in your


"I can't believe this. He's gone," said Ron, his head bent over.

"I know. It's terrible," whispered Hermione in his ear, wrapping her arms around him.

"I could have stopped this from happening!" sobbed Ron, pulling away and kneeling at Fred's lifeless body

"Don't talk like that! There was nothing you or any of us could have done!" said Hermione fiercely, wiping a tear from her face.

There was a strange smell: a mix of blood, sweat, and a flowery scent. "I found another one," said Ginny's voice softly. She was holding a young girl in her arms, one who looked to be below even eleven. "She does not go here. I think she grabbed her parents as they apparated here."

"My baby!" shrieked a lady from nearby. Seamus gently lifted girl from Ginny's arms and placed the girl onto a table, transfiguring a twig into a pillow to place under her head.

"Is she alive?" breathed the mother, grabbing the girl's cold hand. The child was completely still.

Ginny bent down, her red hair slipping onto the chest of the girl. She paused for a moment and then stood back up. "Yes, she is much better than she was when I picked her up. See, you can hear her breathing," she said, forcing a smile on her face in an attempt to comfort the woman.

"You know, You-Know-Who's little announcement has me really worried. He really wants Harry," muttered Ron.

"You just figured that out?" asked Ginny sarcastically. She turned to find more bodies, but Ron grabbed her and embraced her.

"Ginny, maybe you should stay for a little while," said Hermione, placing her arm around Ginny's shoulders.

"I really can't. There's bleeding, dying children out there!" exclaimed Ginny, wiping sweat from her brow.

"Hey! Hey! I just saw Harry again!" yelled Neville, charging towards them.

"What? Where is he?" asked Hermione.

Neville looked around. "I really should be collecting bodies," said Neville, backing away slowly.

Ron lifted his head, revealing red, swollen eyes. "Listen, mate. There's no one in this world that cares about him more than me and Hermione. I know Harry. And so do you, Neville."

"Okay, but you'll have to come with me," said Neville.

As Ron and Hermione began to follow, a voice stopped them. "I'm coming too," Ginny said softly. They all spun around.

"Stay back," said Ron, turning around and walking again.

"No, Ron. I fought. And you know what?" Ginny's voice suddenly became much louder and bolder, the shaking slipping out of it. "I love Harry. I love him so much."

Ron turned around again and stared at his sister. Hermione stepped in. "She should come, you know. If there's anyone who can get Harry to do the most bizarre things, it's Ginny."

"No. No. I will not let my sister get hurt anymore. I will not lose another sibling," Ron said. This time he did not turn around. "Fine. Come," he muttered. He turned around.

Hermione gently pulled at Ginny's arm.

They treaded slowly to the dungeons.

"Now tell us, Neville," said Ginny, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Okay. When I was with Wood collecting bodies, Harry appeared from under the cloak. He told me that he'll be around and that incase we all die…he told me…" Neville started to get a little bit choked up.

"About the snake?" Ron and Hermione asked in unison.

"Yeah. Then he headed off towards the forest again. He didn't seem that happy. He was more afraid than I have ever seen him," said Neville.

"You didn't stop him?" yelled Ginny, color flooding out of her face. Then she froze.

"Ginny? What's wrong?" asked Hermione.

"I felt him. He was there," whispered Ginny.

"What?" asked Ron, pulling his forehead off the stone wall.

"I heard the rustling of the cloak. And footsteps. I thought it was just the wind. But it wasn't. It was him," sighed Ginny.

"Now what?" asked Neville.

"Well, I go and find Harry and you guys stay here and explain the snake to Ginny. That way if I die, she'll know the secret," said Ron, turning around to leave.

"What are you talking about? Have you gone mad? You're in NO CONDITION! And don't talk about death like that. You're staying, I'll go!" shrieked Hermione, pulling Ron back and moving in front of him.

"No way," said Neville.

"This is insanity! We don't even know where he is!" yelled Ginny, running her fingers through her hair.

"I do," said a drawling voice. All four of them turned around so that they were face to face with Draco Malfoy.

"Why aren't you with your pals?" asked Neville, sticking his wand to Draco's throat.

"Because. Potter saved my life. Come with me, and I'll try and help you save his," said Draco.

"We'd better trust him," said Hermione, searching his eyes with hers. "I think he's being honest."

"I never wanted to serve Him. It was something I thought about, but didn't want to hurt people. I had to. Otherwise he'd kill us all," whimpered Draco.

"Take us and we'll save your parents," said Ginny.

"What?" yelped Ron.

"Harry would've done it," said Neville softly.

"It's true. Draco, take us with you," said Hermione. She plucked Ron's sleeve and pulled him along as Draco took the lead.

Just as they went outside, a large party of cloaked figures stomped through, cheering. In the lead was Hagrid holding a still figure.

"I think we found him," said Neville.

Lord Voldemort's voice blanketed the early morning silence as every single person in Hogwarts Castle charged out towards the death eaters, many unknowingly running to their deaths. And leading them was Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville.


End file.
